Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 1.

TEACHING AND LEARNING OF SCIENCE IN NIGERIA: THE PRACTICAL AND FRIENDLY APPROACHES

By

DR. (MRS) A. A. AROKOYU

DEPARTMENT OF CURRICULUM STUDIES AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY FACULTY OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstracts Science as a human endeavor brings about national development when put into practical use through technology. This paper delved into the various ways by which science has been a mystery to many students generally and those at the secondary school level in particular. Hence, practical approaches such as demonstration, laboratory, scaffolding, discovery and inquiry were highlighted. Also, the principles of good science teaching and learning were presented for effective, practical behavioral and attitudinal changes in both the teachers and the learners.

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Introduction Scientific breakthrough is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and one of the late President of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yarduas seven point agenda still being pursued by the present President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Nigeria as a developing nation in realization of the importance of science and technology had included as one of the major goals of science education to inculcate in the citizens scientific literacy (FME, 2003). Scientific literacy, simply put is the ability of an individual to acquire scientific knowledge and use same in solving personal and societal problems. Poor academic achievements in science and unhealthy attitude towards science have been reported in literature (Adeniyi 1995, Nwagbo 1997, Arokoyu and Dike 2009). A number of factors such as teachers methods, lack of instructional materials based on poor funding, lack of initiative and creativity amongst many others were reported for being responsible. Sequel to this, innovative approaches such as demonstration, laboratory, scaffolding, inquiry and discovery; so also, principles of science teaching and learning are presented in this paper. Many students are often put off because of the brash, harsh, brutish and unfriendly ways we (science teachers) present science to them. Students are discouraged and scared when science teachers make statements such as: -Science is not for everybody -This subject is for selected few -Science is not for idiots et cetera We live in a world of science whether we are aware or not. Any human endeavor, involving whatever activity a human being engages in, is science. Hence, science is performed by everybody. This does not imply that we shall all specialize

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in science related professions but that we shall all have basic scientific literacy which will culminate into national development. Science teachers should bear it in mind that students like to play and that they learn better while at play. Therefore, science students under the watchful eyes of the teachers serving as facilitators should be allowed to play around mess about and fool around safely in a science laboratory. These natural processes lead to discovery of ideas and facts without much cramming or rote memory. To Dewey (1966), the average child is by nature dynamic and not passive, inquisitive rather than blindly imitative, seeks order rather than randomness, is outgoing and playful rather than withdrawn, is alert rather than dull. Numerous approaches are advocated for presenting science in a stimulating and friendly way. However, no one method of teaching science can be termed as the best or could be applied in all teaching situations and for all concepts. Teaching methods, techniques, strategies and approaches are words that are often used interchangeably. They vary and must be applied when appropriate. Even the traditional lecture (chalk and talk) method that has been found inadequate for teaching modern science cannot be completely avoided in teaching- learning process. A combination of two or more methods has been found to be more effective. Demonstration Method It is a method used mostly by the teacher to show parts of an object or the correct use of some apparatus and equipment. Demonstration can be carried out either by the teacher alone, teacher-student, student -student or by a guest demonstrator invited by the school. It is the most direct and cheapest way of presenting concepts in concrete and practical terms to learners. Students are encouraged to use the following senses- sight, hearing, smell and touch when a demonstration is in progress. This enables the students to relate events and concepts to those they have observed while the demonstration was going on. Guidelines for effective demonstration method It should be simple and straight to the point. Ensure that the demonstration will succeed; otherwise students will not have www.jeda-uniport.com
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confidence in you. This can be ensured by carrying out the demonstration before the students come into the laboratory, that way, the teacher will know if the chemical has expired or not and if an equipment or apparatus is in good working condition or not. Carrying every student along by making the demonstration interesting, so as to avoid boredom and frustration. Make the demonstration visible to the entire learner. Note that a demonstration is supposed to be a visual and or an audio-visual display. Prepare leading questions that will lead to discovery. Respect and appreciate questions and answers from your students. Relate with them maturely and sincerely.

Laboratory Method It provides the ideal setting for skill development, discovery learning, inquiry and problem solving activities. The laboratory method has a two way approach namely; experimental and exercise approach. The experimental approach enables the students to seek information using scientific approaches such as observation, questioning, investigating, interpretation of data and confronting the unknown. Whereas the exercise approach offers a programmed, preplanned and guided routines thus assuring a predetermined answer. Constant use of the laboratory brings about skills which are acquisitive, organizational, creative and manipulative. All of these in turn bring about process skills. It is important to know that laboratory activities are not restricted to a classroom called laboratory alone. An environment outside the classroom that provides practical work to give first hand experiences to the learner could be regarded as a laboratory. Therefore, a laboratory can be a building, a room or a place equipped and set apart for experimental studies. It can be sophisticated and well equipped or simple and poorly equipped with even locally made and improvised materials by creative and innovative science teachers. Abdullahi (1986) remarked that science is not science unless it is accompanied by laboratory work. Laboratory work is experimentation or

practicalisation of theories. This implies that for science to make its maximum contribution to education and the well being of the students and the society, the teacher must make it a practical process in which the students at every stage are www.jeda-uniport.com
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participants instead of being passive recipients of verbal instructions only. Students hear when they are taught, see when the teacher demonstrates but they understand when they practicalise. Active involvement of learners in head-on, heart-on and hands-on experiences is the hallmark of science teaching in this millennium. Guidelines to laboratory method Prevention of accidents in the laboratory is the duty of all; the teacher, the learners and the laboratory workers. Essentially, the teacher bears the consequences of whatever accident that occurs. To prevent or reduce accidents, the teacher should -Teach (by demonstration) students to handle materials (perishable and nonperishable objects) safely. -Get students acquainted with instructions for dealing with emergencies. -Paste the list of laboratory dos and donts in conspicuous places on the laboratory walls for all to see. -Ensure that the laboratory allows free movement by stacking and storing things in their appropriate places. -Take precautions against fire outbreaks.
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Scaffolding as a teaching strategy

Scaffold is a temporary erection for men at work on a building. Scaffolding is used when building structures which are high; for instance, storey buildings. Scaffolds are pillars for support to both the builders and the building. As it affects the teaching and learning of science in education, the builder is the teacher, science is the big structure (storey building) while the fast learners serve as the scaffolds to the slow learners. In a science classroom, the teacher who is the builder or facilitator of learning can use the gifted and the highly talented learners as scaffolds to aid or boost the understanding of the slow learners. The fast learners, having understood the teacher fast, lend support (as in scaffolds) to the slow learners through interactions after the class when the teacher is out of sight. Pupils learn better and faster from each other when they interact in their natural setting, communicating probably in their local expression or language. Hence, students learn better when engaged in collaborative and co-operative learning that are www.jeda-uniport.com
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similar strategies for learning science. Guidelines for using scaffolding as a strategy The teacher should: (i) Be careful not to tag a name to a particular set of students fast or slow learners. That a particular concept or topic is hard or difficult for a student to comprehend or understand fast does not make him or her slow learner permanently. Ensure that the concept is truly well understood by the supposed fast learners. Otherwise, a wrong idea may be conveyed to the slow learners when the teacher is no more in the classroom. Revise the previous work and ask relevant questions. Break down tasks into simple and manageable bits. Give instructions and clues to tasks using simple terms in your expressions.

(ii)

(iii) (iv) (v)

Inquiry and Discovery methods These methods are rooted in heuristic (Eureka) teaching which serve, lead or encourage the desire to find out depending on assumptions based on past experiences consisting of guided trial and error. These two methods are student centered as they are activity and problem solving based, which are the major ingredients of modern science. Inquiry is a teaching strategy whereby the teacher asks the students to formulate the problems, state the purpose, predict the results, identify the procedures, perform the investigations (experiments) and learn from the activities. While in the discovery method, the teacher sets the students to solve the problem. The students then predict the results, make observations and relate the investigation to previous work. That is, ability to infer or make inferences (Dienye and Gbamanja, 1990). From the foregoing, it is apparent that these two methods have common characteristics, hence they are used interchangeably. Guidelines on effective use of inquiry and discovery methods Science teachers should consider the following hints as they apply inquiry and discovery methods in their teaching. (i) Motivate the students to engage in inquiry by presenting them with a www.jeda-uniport.com
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puzzle or discrepancy that stimulates curiosity. (ii) Use the language or terms of inquiry and discovery by using the appropriate and the actual terminologies. (iii) Distribute students into similar groups for maximum participation by each student and effective supervision by the teacher. (iv) Intimate the learners on the objectives of the activities through interactions with them. This gives them a clearer picture of the task(s) at hand. Principles of Teaching and Learning in Science Teaching is an art and a craft; and as a result, it is guided by principles which trained teachers must apply in the course of their profession. That is, effective and efficient teaching and learning are usually guided by certain principles. These principles are numerous and were derived from the characteristics of the learners, teachers and the learning situation or environment. Principles of Good Science Teaching (i) (ii) (iii) Preparedness: plan and get things (instructional materials) ready for your class. This includes writing of lesson notes ahead of time. Methodology: use varied and stimulating methods. Variety is the spice of life which removes boredom, rigidity and stereotype. Discussion: discuss with the students the objectives for doing various experiments or any other scientific activities using clear and audible voice. Group work: students learn from each other. Organize students into groups especially when equipment and materials are inadequate. Resourcefulness/ creativity: a modern science teacher should be innovative by sourcing for locally made, cheap and improvised materials when the sophisticated, expensive and imported ones are not available. Holistic examination of learners: in order to bring out the total person in the learners, they must be tested using the multi-talent approach whereby the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of talents are developed. Curriculum implementation: the teacher being the implementer of the content of the curriculum should not be a slave to it. That is, the teacher is at liberty to overhaul and re-arrange the curriculum content. This is attained by breaking the curriculum into syllabus, scheme of work, lesson plan and lesson notes.

(iv) (v)

(vi)

(vii)

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Principles of Science Learning Learning is a continuous process whereby knowledge and skills are gained. We learn everyday is a common expression. To be a good learner of life experiences in and out of the classroom, one should be guided by the following principles. (i) Learning is better achieved if one is actively involved; hence the expression experience is the best teacher. (ii) Learning takes place better if concepts, ideas or points are arranged in a sequence. This can be aided by the use of mnemonics or acronyms. (iii) Effective learning takes place if the material is relevant and meaningful. (iv) Varied and stimulating environment promotes learning. (v) Timely, positive reinforcement, reward or compliments encourage learners to do better. (vi) Transfer of learning or application of knowledge is possible if the learner is given the opportunity. Conclusion Science is the bedrock of national development. The future looks bleak for Nigeria because of the poor performance of her secondary school students in science subjects. Though, a number of factors are responsible but much is blamed on the ways and manners in which science subjects are introduced to learners. This is a challenge and a call for self-examination on the part of the science teachers. References Abdullahi, A. (1986) Science Teaching in Nigeria. Ilorin Atotto Press Limited. 68-74 Adeniyi, E.O (1995) Science as a way of knowing: The NSSSP Experience Proceedings of the 26th Annual Conference of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, 101-111. Arokoyu, A.A. and Dike, J.W. (2009): Poor Science, Technology and Mathematics (S. T. M.) Achievement in 2000-2004 SSCE amongst Secondary School Students in Nigeria. Nigerian Educational Researchers, 10(14). 31-39. Dewey, J. (1966): Democracy and Education. New York, Free Press. 181-187. Dienye, N. E and Gbamanja, S. P. T. (1990): Science Education: Theory and Practice. Totan Publishers Limited, Nigeria. 44- 51. Federal Ministry of Education (2003): National Policy on Education. Lagos: Federal Government Press. www.jeda-uniport.com
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Nwagbo, C.R. (1997) Level of Scientific Literacy of Secondary School Science Students: Implications for Sustainable Development in Nigeria. Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, 73-77.

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